KISSIMMEE — The crutches and an air cast are not a familiar look for DukeJohnson, but the smile is usually there — and still is.

“I’m cool,” he said. “I’m here enjoying this experience with my team. I’m doing what I can on the sideline to help prepare for this game against Louisville.”

Johnson, speaking to reporters for the first time since breaking his right ankle Nov. 2 at Florida State, gave an update on his recovery from the injury that cut short his sophomore season.

He said he’s been applying pressure to the ankle (i.e., walking lightly on it) and feels he no longer needs his crutches, but his doctors recommend he use them. Before the team left for Orlando earlier this week, Johnson spent a rehab session on an anti-gravity treadmill.

He doesn’t know when he will be able to run unassisted or return to the practice field.

“I haven’t got a time frame yet,” he said. “I’m just taking it day by day and getting better. I get a checkup every other week, the doctor lets me know what she thinks and we go from there.”

He’s been taking it easy, but got the urge to play when he first arrived at the Citrus Bowl for practice. That was where, two years ago this month, he scored five touchdowns to lift Miami Norland to a state title. That flood of memories made him ache to return.

“I looked at the field I played my last high school game on,” he said. “I wanted to be out there with my team.”

In eight games this season, Johnson rushed for 920 yards and six touchdowns on 145 carries and returned 14 kicks for 396 yards.

Since his injury, Johnson has said he’s been a coach during home games (he didn’t travel with the team during the regular season) and practices. He offers advice to teammates and feels he’s made an impact, however slight it may be.

“I kind of gave them an opinion on how I run, how I’m successful and some things that helped me that they can do to be successful for them,” Johnson said.

If he can’t put on shoulder pads and cleats, maybe UM can give him a headset. At the very least, he’s enjoying his first bowl week. He certainly feels it won’t be his last.

“Just the bowl experience as a whole,” he said. “I wasn’t able to go to one last year. Just being up here for a week with my team and doing the things like going to theme parks and going to Dave & Buster’s and having team dinner, that’s just a great experience. I never experienced it in high school and now I get to experience it at a bowl game, and it makes me want to do more. It makes me want to do bigger things next year.”